State Historical Road Markers dot U.S. Roadways and offers us little bits of history. I will share these bits of history and attempt to go deeper into the fascinating history of our nation.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Fort Upper Tract

Pendleton County, WV

Marker Text: Site of Fort Upper Tract, one of the forts erected under Washington's orders to guard the settlements. In 1758, Indians captured and burned it. Captain James Dunlap and 21 others were killed. No one escaped.

Location: On U.S. Route 220 on the northbound side of the road in Upper Tract, WV, about half way between Petersburg to the north and Franklin to the south.

Today's marker is related to my prior post on Fort Loudoun in present day Winchester, VA. In 1755, George Washington arrived in Winchester to supervise the construction of Fort Loudoun and other frontier forts along the western frontier in Virginia during the French and Indian War. In present day, West Virginia there are several state historic markers indicating the location of these early forts.

Photo taken looking south on U.S. Route 220, south branch of the Potomac would be on the left of the photo. Click any photo to enlarge.

According documents left by George Washington, Fort Upper Tract was built between August 21 and November 9, 1756, by a Lieutenant Lomax and 20 soldiers probably aided by local settlers. Washington directed the fort's construction from wood in a quadrangular shape with walls 60 feet long and bastions in all four corners. The fort was to have barracks, a powder magazine, and other necessary buildings all built within the walls. The actual completed form of the fort is unknown.

According to documents left by William Preston, the fort was destroyed in an Indian attack on April 27, 1758 and eighteen militiamen were killed at the fort. A letter in the Augusta County court records, written following the attack on the fort indicated some of the militiamen killed at the fort were reinforcement sent to Fort Upper Tract from Hog’s Fort in Brock Gap, about 22 miles to the east. Captain Dunlap, himself killed in the battle, had requested help upon spotting Indians in the area. The reinforcements arrived just before the fort was attacked. Local settlers Ludwick Fulk and William Elliot, their wives, and one stranger died with the militiamen.

No one in the fort survived to tell how it was captured. Fort Upper Tract was apparently never rebuilt. The exact location of Fort Upper Tract is not known, only that it was built within or near the present village of Upper Tract, WV by the Southern Branch of the Potomac in present day, Pendleton County, probably somewhere east of this marker and the river. This marker is all that remains to tell the traveler of the existence of this old frontier fort.

These early frontier forts constructed under Washington's supervision between 1755-58 provided protection for the families who were willing to move to this frontier. Without these forts few families would have been willing to settle these areas. Forts were constructed during the 1750's along the South Branch of the Potomac, the Cacapon River, Patterson Creek, Opequon Creek, and the main Potomac River itself, as well as to the south along the Greenbrier River. Among the better-known forts of this period are Ashby, Edwards, Maidstone, Pleasant, and Seybert. In what is now the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, forts were constructed roughly every 15 miles.

Early pioneer families moved from their homesteads to the safety of a nearby fort when threatened by Indian war parties. If time permitted, the families brought food, clothing, and valuables with them. Usually, they remained at the fort only as long as necessary. Typical stays ranged from several days to several weeks. On occasion, families lived in a fort for months. When the Indians left the immediate area, the settlers returned home. Forting was a seasonal activity. The greatest need for the shelter of a fort occurred between the months of April and October every year, the period of Indian raiding. Difficult travel made winter warfare relatively rare.

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Description

When I travel the U.S. roadways, I prefer driving on the two lane highways rather than the interstate highways, when time and my route permits. One reason is my interest in state and county historical road markers. I have taken photos of these markers and their related landmarks on and off for several years, since I was a teenager. In the past few years I have made the photographing these markers and studying these little bits of history into my hobby. This blog contains my personal photos of these markers taken during my travels. My blog is more than just a collection of photos, I will also share some of the things I have learned, as I read, studied and followed-up on the information common in these markers. There are often interesting stories and other connections related to these markers, which frequently lies just below the surface. I will also connect the dots and share the series of stories that are common among multiple markers.My chief interest is in the stories of the metal state and county historical road markers, but I will include photos and information about other markers, when they relate to my main entry. To learn more about how my interest in historical road markers developed, read my introduction to this blog entered on October 8, 2009.I invite you to share your comments about stories, facts, and other information shared in these markers. I have attempted to keep my entries brief without getting into extensive background information, (I did not want to get carried away with every historical detail) just that information that I found interesting, unusual or fascinating. Maybe you live near one of these markers, maybe you are related to the person, or have personal knowledge about the topic, event or location. I would love to learn from you more details and history. The history of our country is not only informative, but I find it also amazing, exciting and some times humorous as we learn about those people, places and events that shaped who we are as Americans. Regardless of our background, history or heritage, we share a common history as a nation and as a people.

About This Blog's Author

I am a Presbyterian Minister in Front Royal, VA, I serve two small congregations in Hardy County, WV. My interest in local history began during early childhood vacations to many historical sites. I grew up in Pennsylvania. I have enjoyed taking photos of the places I visit. I have lived in several states. Each placed I lived sparked an interest in the local history of the region. In my late 20's I bought a 35mm camera and when I could afford the film I was out taking photos. I have probably over 8000 photos or negatives of a wide variety of subjects.
With the advent of my personal computer and digital photographs my interest and habit of taking photo increased. My digital collection is now three times of my film collection in a third of the time. I find digging into the historical details of the markers I photograph quite interesting and the reason I started this blog. Please share your thoughts, interests or additional knowledge through the comments on each post. If you are on Facebook, please share with your friends using the links at the bottom of each post.